Application of a pharmacokinetic model in characterizing sources of polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and determining threshold daily intakes for adverse health effects in infants and toddlers

Abstract

Characterization of PCB exposure sources for vulnerable population groups is essential to minimize the health effects of PCB exposure. At the same time, it is important to consolidate the knowledge on threshold intakes of PCBs for infants and toddlers to prevent health effects. We estimated total PCB concentrations from birth to 2 years of age in children from Slovak and Czech populations, which continue to have high PCB concentrations in breast milk. Using a pharmacokinetic (PK) model, we characterized dominant PCB exposure sources and estimated new threshold estimated daily intakes (TEDI) (above which adverse effects cannot be excluded) for postnatal PCB exposure in infants and toddlers. In the PK model, concentrations of seven indicator PCBs in breast milk and cord blood samples from 291 mother-child pairs from the Slovak birth cohort, and 396 breast milk samples from Czech mothers we used, together with their physiological characteristics and PCB concentrations from other exposure sources (food, dust, air). The estimated total PCB concentrations in children's blood at different ages were compared with threshold PCB concentrations of 500, 700 and 1000 ng·glipid−1 in serum proposed by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) and the German Environment Agency (UBA), above which possible adverse health effects may be expected. We estimated that up to 20.6% of Slovak children and up to 45.7% of Czech children at two years of age exceeded the threshold value of 700 ng·glipid−1 in blood. Mean TEDIs leading to values of 500 ng·glipid−1 in blood for children up to two years ranged between 110 and 220 ng·kg−1·bw·day−1, varying according to breastfeeding duration. Breast milk and prenatal exposure contributed to 71%–85% of PCBs exposure at two years of age. In contrast, the contributions of PCBs from dust and indoor air were negligible.